The Boy in the Garden
by Chrissy Sky
Summary: A year later, Zelgadis finds something strange in their garden. Sequel to Search for the Aqualord, XelxZel, Yaoi, kidfic.
1. One Year Later

Title: The Boy in the Garden

Part Two in the 'Human!Xellos' series. Sequel to Search for the Aqualord.

Authors: Chrissy Sky and Rose Thorne

Pairing: Xellos/Zelgadis established relationship; minor Lina/Amelia.

Rating: M overall

Warnings: Yaoi, minor yuri, kid fic. (Not mpreg. This means there is an actual child.)

Summary: A year later, Zelgadis finds something strange in their garden.

AN: This is not a stand-alone piece. It won't make much sense if you haven't read the other one first.

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><p>Chapter One: One Year Later<p>

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><p>If asked, Xellos would answer honestly—because he never really lied—and say it started with the pies.<p>

Dragon killing stews aside, he had no actual cooking skills. He liked food, but learning how it was prepared never crossed his mind until they began doing odd jobs around Avalo.

Once deciding on a plot of land for the construction—next to the small river as Zelgadis wanted—they needed to earn money to get started. There were many valuable items in the shrine they could have used for trade, but neither of them wanted to do that unless it was an emergency. All of the items had a personal significance as well as a monetary one. As the Water Dragon Lord had helped them a great deal, neither felt comfortable using the shrine's treasures as cash.

So they got jobs instead. Zelgadis began hanging around the local masonry and blacksmiths, impressing the hardened country people with his willingness to work, his strength, and his skill in doing even the most obscure of tasks. He often brought home more supplies than money, but the chimera did not mind this so much. It just meant he could get to work on their home all the quicker.

He would not let Xellos partake in these activities—he still worried that the new human would hurt himself too easily. Xellos could hardly blame him for the concern, though part of him rankled at being thought of as weak.

"I didn't say you're weak," Zelgadis said, placating. "But you're still adjusting to being human, to having limits, and this is hard work. Just promise me you'll take it slow, okay?"

He had shrugged, kissed Zelgadis' cheek to see him off to work, and went about town to find work for himself.

While he had never been what anyone would call altruistic, Xellos frequently found himself assisting those less fortunate than others: Elderly women who needed aid around the house and whose grown children were not around to do it; or mothers with young children who needed similar help because their husbands were currently farming or working in the mines.

After he had gotten passed initial suspicions of adultery—the villagers of Avalo had less of a problem with homosexuals, but Gods help you if you were after their women—Xellos began to receive recurrent smiles from them. They too could not always pay for his help, so they gave food instead. This became how he and his chimera continued to eat regular meals. Favorite items submitted by the elderly women were pies.

Zelgadis especially liked them and seeing his obvious pleasure, Xellos decided to ask the women how they were made. He hoped that when their home was completed, he could make them for his lover. With their guidance, his first culinary experiments often met with the chimera's approval.

"I'm gonna make you a big kitchen," Zelgadis promised one evening and, as whenever he talked about their home, Xellos eagerly expressed his happiness about it. (Repeatedly. In bed.)

They remained at the inn. It ate up what little money they had, but sleeping on their property in a tent became impractical when the colder weather hit. As the temperature dropped, the ground was soon covered in snow. Xellos decided on his first cold morning that he did not like the cold. Not at all. He had quickly crawled back into bed.

Zelgadis had gotten up and stretched with no trouble, of course. "Maybe I should camp out there alone. Keep an eye on our supplies."

Xellos admitted to pouting heavily at this suggestion and perhaps mentally grumbling about his lover's physiology. "You are _not_ leaving me here to get cold every night, Zelgadis-san."

"Xellos, I'm not exactly _warm_. I don't retain heat."

"You do if there's a fire, my dear."

The chimera had sighed, but there were no more suggestions about spending their evenings apart.

With the cold weather came illness, and with it other jobs for them to perform. Xellos knew some healing spells, but Zelgadis was able to call upon years of experience with the Red Priest Rezo. He stirred up potions with herbs and roots, things even the villagers had never seen before, as well as healing magic. While they were not as skilled as Rezo had been, they rarely lost a patient.

Some were grateful for the assistance, but it wasn't as though they had not survived winters before. More often than not, his elderly teachers had a few helpful tips for keeping Xellos warm.

Moreover, he worried the healing would remind Zelgadis too much of the past. "Does this bother you?" he asked eventually. "The reminder of Rezo-san…"

Zelgadis shrugged. "I'm still mad at him. I'll always be mad. But I don't hate him quite as much as I used to. I haven't since the whole Hellmaster Jar thing."

Xellos decided to stay close to Zelgadis the rest of that day, which the chimera didn't seem to mind.

He had wanted to keep working, but being exposed to illness and chill caused Xellos to catch a minor cold himself. Zelgadis all but strapped him to the bed and, when he argued, they had one of their rare arguments.

"I know you don't want to be seen as weak," Zelgadis had growled, "but if you don't rest, you'll get worse! Doesn't that seem weaker to you than sitting here and letting yourself get better?"

Xellos may have pouted then too. "Oh very well."

The benefit of bed rest turned out to be Zelgadis, with his stronger immune system, waiting on him until he recovered.

"Spoiling you is kind of fun," Zelgadis had remarked.

"If you _really_ wanted to spoil me, you'd walk around in front of me naked."

A blush and snort. "Well, you _must_ be feeling better if you're flirting."

"Ahahaha…"

Learning his limitations was never an easy task. It was hard, but Xellos had to remind himself to let Zelgadis carry some of the burden in their lives. He could not do it all alone. Remembering that was the key, though he still fell prey to his urge to take care of his lover.

Zelgadis continued to work through the winter on their home, as much as time and the weather allowed, and by spring they moved in.

Seeing the blueprints were one thing, but the second Xellos finally laid eyes on the finished product—Zelgadis made him stay off the site as he got closer to completion, wanting it to be a surprise—he absolutely loved it. The front door opened up to their dining room, with the promised kitchen off to the side. Further on were the sitting room, a small study they could share, and three bedrooms. (Two were spares for their friends and the master bedroom was the larger of the three.)

Though there had only been a few pieces of furniture at the time, Xellos decided to show Zelgadis his appreciation, with eagerness, all over the house. The chimera quickly learned to appreciate sex outside the bedroom.

Any remaining distrust from the villagers seemed to be gone, and Zelgadis grew a little more comfortable around them. It was not easy for him; even on the hottest days he still walked around town with his hood and mask firmly in place. Xellos knew there was often a smile under his mask though, so he considered it progress.

Nor did they contend Zelgadis and Xellos' right to the shrine. Even before Lina and company first come to Avalo, the villagers had a dislike for the shrine. It caused an almost constant disturbance as sorcerer after sorcerer would try to get inside, and would almost always be cursed. Sorcerers continued to travel to the shrine, but now the villagers turned them away. The shrine, they claimed, belonged to their new neighbors. Xellos and Zelgadis decided to put up some new protections around it nevertheless, just in case.

Other than the occasional sorcerer showing up to bother them about their ownership of the ancient structure, their lives progressed peacefully. Zelgadis began working on the garden before the summer heat truly came upon them, as well as building a small coop for chickens. Xellos kept busy on the translations of the Ryuzoku books; already having two out on the market by then, he was able to support them reasonably well on the proceeds.

He had been tempted to publish them under his true name, _Priest of the Greater Beast Xellos,_ but that would have raised too many questions that he would rather not answer. Besides which, he was not the Greater Beast's servant any longer. As he pondered the dilemma, Zelgadis came up with the easiest (and most meaningful) solution.

"You know," Zelgadis murmured, suddenly becoming engrossed in gazing at one of the manuscripts' rough drafts. "You know, you could always call yourself Xellos Greywords."

Xellos had been so pleased by the suggestion, he nearly knocked the chimera off the couch. He settled shamelessly in his lap. "Are you really sure?"

Zelgadis blushed and smiled, setting the manuscript aside to hold him close. "Of course I am."

Xellos still planned to marry Zelgadis and make it proper. The chimera was growing skittish about actual wedding plans though, so Xellos allowed it to be set aside for the time being. His chimera seemed happy enough as they were and Xellos found a strange sort of fulfillment in Zelgadis' happiness. In the meantime, he kept himself busy with the books, and with his cooking experiments.

Another project he was working on was about to come to fruition. Xellos was pleased about it since it had sort of landed in his lap one morning, figuratively. He had no idea how it would turn out, which was the only part of the 'project' that he didn't like—too many uncertain variables. Xellos still felt reasonably confident about it though; and all he had to do was not say anything. Zelgadis was about to discover it on his own.

Bringing home those pies that made him fully realize it. He wanted Zelgadis to be happy, so he had to make their life together as perfect as he could.

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><p>Zelgadis was clearly irritated when he walked into the kitchen. His travel gear was stored away and instead he wore the plain clothing he used for yard work, items that Xellos did not mind him getting dirty. "Something keeps messing up the garden," he announced, dirt-covered hands fisted and his rock brow furrowed.<p>

Xellos knew he took pride in the garden. He turned away from his current food experiment on the stove and wiped his hands on his frilly pink apron, attempting to look surprised. "An animal, perhaps? Were there tracks?"

"None," the chimera confirmed, wiping the dirt off his hands with a dishrag. "I don't know what it is. I think one of the chickens is missing, too."

Xellos hummed to let Zelgadis know he was listening and spooned up some of the stew he was cooking. "Here, try this."

Zelgadis stepped closer and allowed Xellos feed him with the spoon. He made a face, looking at him uncertainly through wire bangs. "What is it?"

"Lizard stew!" Xellos proclaimed cheerfully.

Zelgadis made another face. "Why?"

"It looked so big when I saw it at the market, and this recipe sounded interesting." He had actually substituted the lizard for what the recipe truly called for, besides adding a few other ingredients on his own. "Does it taste like snake?"

"A little," Zelgadis said, looking a little pained. "You'll recall I didn't really like that much either."

Xellos affected a pout and got a kiss from his chimera.

"Not fond of it," Zelgadis murmured against his lips. "Sorry."

Xellos shrugged, no less cheerful for the honesty. "Ah well. One never knows until one tries, yes? I could always substitute it with rabbit."

The shaman brightened. "You know I like that. This'd probably work better with it. Minus the lizard, of course."

Xellos nodded. Part of his cooking experiments, while many were unusual, was to figure out what worked, what didn't work, and why. He wasn't offended by Zelgadis turning the lizard down. Xellos wouldn't make his lover eat things he didn't like in order to appease his own ego. Such a thing might have been beneath him even as a Mazoku.

"As it happens, I bought a rabbit this morning as well!"

Zelgadis grinned, shaking his head and looking amused. "Okay. Though, you know I could always set up some snares near the stream."

Xellos tilted his head in confusion. "You are tempting me with fish? I'm perfectly fine with the rabbit." Fish was one of his personal favorites.

The chimera blinked at him, for a moment just as confused, and then he laughed. "Well, I _could_ fish, but I was talking about wild rabbit. It's cheaper."

'Snares' as in for rabbits, not for fish. Xellos felt his face grow warm at the misunderstanding and turned to face the stove, busying himself with turning off the burner and hiding his blush. "Ah."

He disliked when things like this happened. While he had spent hundreds of years among humans, he occasionally made errors like this.

"Hey, it's okay, Xellos." Zelgadis came closer again, lightly rubbing his shoulders and finding the places his muscles ached sometimes. "You don't need to be embarrassed about something this small."

"I am not embarrassed."

A soft kiss against his shoulder. "Of course not."

Xellos found himself laughing and leaning back into Zelgadis. His chimera had certainly domesticated him and it did not bother him one bit.

"Mmm… There are magical traps we can place around the garden," he said, returning to the matter at hand. "It was in that book we ordered a few weeks ago."

The small office and sitting area were quickly filling with books, and not just ones for research. Both of them had always had the desire to learn, but for the first time they could really explore it. They mail ordered all sorts of magical texts from Atlas City, and Amelia regularly sent interesting books from Saillune. Their collection was growing at a fast rate and covered a wide area of topics, not all of them about magic.

Zelgadis pulled away to let him clean up and remove his apron. "That's a good idea. Might be something you can experiment with, huh?"

"Trying to get me out of the kitchen, hm?" he asked in return, amused.

Zelgadis smiled. "Well, we might catch something for the kitchen, too."

"True. How big would you say it is?" Xellos asked as he left the stove to get the particular book he spoke of to his chimera.

He already had an idea, but Zelgadis did not need to know just yet.

Zelgadis shrugged. "Couldn't find any prints, but given the amount it's eaten, it's either multiple things or it's about the size of a dog."

Xellos nodded as he checked with the index and flipped to the correct page. "I can make the traps big enough to capture something the size of a large dog. If you would not mind throwing out the rest of that stew, I shall set the traps."

"I don't mind," Zelgadis assured with a smile.

Together they walked outside, Zelgadis with the pot, Xellos with the book. While Zelgadis threw the stew to the eager chickens, who did not seem to care that it was made with lizard, Xellos began casting spells. He started around the chicken coop, since Zelgadis thought they were missing one, and then continued doing so in the garden.

A breeze blew and his hair, which had grown in the past year, got in his face no matter how much he brushed it aside. It was well passed his shoulders and crawling down his back, even after trimming. He liked the length and thought he would keep letting it grow.

Stone fingers touched him from behind, taking hold of his hair and gently tying it away from his face. Xellos started but didn't pull away, out of habit. Part of the reason he liked the length was because Zelgadis had started to do things like this.

He liked the attention.

Xellos smiled over his shoulder. "Thank you, my dear."

"No need for it to interfere with your work." Zelgadis smiled back. "All done?"

"I believe so. Show me where the damage is?"

Zelgadis led him through the rows of vegetables to the area where he was growing carrots and potatoes. Crouching, Zelgadis pointed to some disturbed soil. "Something's been digging. Here, and over here. Tomatoes are missing, too. And some of the strawberries are torn up over there."

Xellos glanced toward the forest that surrounded their property. Their little thief was nowhere to be seen, but that did not mean it wasn't there, watching. Normally he would have gone out of his way to end such a thing, but circumstances made it necessary for the time being. The traps would stop the disturbance at any rate.

"It could be a large fox," Zelgadis went on, "but I didn't think they'd go after anything but the chickens. Only _one_ of those is missing."

"Yes, very strange," Xellos agreed before grasping Zelgadis' wrist, tugging him up. "Let's go inside and start dinner. It's still a little hot out here anyway."

Zelgadis agreed and he grabbed the cooking pot where he had left it. "Need anything from the garden?" he asked before they got too far.

"I have leftover from this stew." He offered a sheepish smile. "Since I thought there was a good chance you wouldn't like it."

Zelgadis chuckled, grinning openly. "Lina'll visit again eventually. I give you permission to try it on her."

Xellos beamed. "Do I have to mention what it is?"

"She likely won't ask. I'll pretend to eat it if you make my portion with rabbit."

"Of course, dear," Xellos giggled, walking with him arm in arm back to the house. He was well aware that their relationship with Lina was more like quarrelling siblings than friends. Lina hit him less often, as per Zelgadis' grumpy requests, so she had to content herself with teasing.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a quick rustle from the bushes near the forest. Zelgadis did not seem to see it so Xellos decided not to mention it.

They walked inside and Xellos took the pot, cleaning it quickly in the sink. Zelgadis washed his hands in the soapy water before dropping a quick kiss on his cheek.

"Let me go get cleaned up." He gestured to his clothing. "I had to put the garden back in order, and I got a little stew on me when I gave it to the chickens."

"That's fine, dear. I can start."

Zelgadis disappeared, heading toward the in-ground bath he had built for the house. Theirs was one of the few homes in Avalo with indoor plumbing. He was very proud of it; when he originally had the idea of a little 'cottage' he had not imagined anything like this. But it was perfect in every way.

Filling the now-clean pot with fresh water, he sat it back on the stove to begin again. He followed the same steps he had taken before, and it was not long before Zelgadis returned to help him chop vegetables.

"The trap spells have an alarm designed into them," Xellos told him. "We should hear it when the animal is caught."

Zelgadis nodded and, when Xellos brought the purchased rabbit out of the cellar, mostly watched him gut and skin the creature. It was a fairly gruesome task and he almost worried what Zelgadis saw in him as he did things like this. Did he think about the lives Xellos had taken as a Mazoku, of the blood he had (metaphorically and – at the moment – literally) on his hands?

But no such shadows of doubt ever crossed his face. Whenever the subject of Xellos' former duties surfaced, Zelgadis seemed merely curious. He only got irritated with him when reminded of the times during their journeys when he kept Zelgadis from reading the Claire Bible manuscripts. While it had never been a personal offense, Zelgadis had taken it as such at the time. Xellos understood that but he would continue to defend his actions as being necessary.

As he finished, Zelgadis took the entrails without comment, carrying them too out to the chickens. When he returned, Xellos asked if he wanted to do something with the fur. "I wouldn't know how to sew it into anything, but I dislike wasting things."

"Yeah," Zelgadis said. "If nothing else, we can sell it."

Xellos sat it aside after cleaning the blood off of it as well as he could.

They worked together getting everything into the pot, though they spent a lot of time sneaking glances at each other. They often did this while preparing meals, which seemed dangerous with sharp instruments in their hands, but they hadn't cut themselves yet.

"My beautiful Zelgadis," he murmured softly, watching his chimera drop sliced potatoes into the pot.

Zelgadis blushed and smiled, seemingly amused. "Are you trying to distract me?"

"Would I do that?" he responded coyly.

"You can't wait until after dinner?" Zelgadis asked instead of answering.

Xellos giggled. "I can. I just like watching you." He lightly bumped his hip against Zelgadis'.

Zelgadis blushed and finished the tomatoes. "I know."

When they were done, Xellos covered it with a lid and wiped his sweaty brow with the back of his hand. The kitchen got very warm with the stove on. There were cooling spells, but the stove's heat fought them valiantly.

Once they cleaned up the counter and set the knives in the sink, Xellos let Zelgadis pull him away to the dining room. The chimera opened a window so that they could take advantage of the breeze outside.

Xellos rested his head in his arms on the windowsill, staying close, and noted the problem with the cooling spells aloud.

He smiled when he felt Zelgadis toy with the end of his impromptu ponytail. "I know. I'll figure something out."

"No need, dearest. From what I've learned, a warm kitchen is normal."

Xellos made a soft noise as Zelgadis continued playing with his hair, then giggled as he rubbed the end against his neck.

"Tickles," he noted, squirming a little. Tickling was very odd. It was not a bad sensation yet he had no control over his reaction to _being_ tickled. Zelgadis seemed very fond of his reactions when he did it.

Zelgadis smiled and looked as though he would have liked to tickle him more, but the sound of a bell ringing stopped him. "Guess that's the alarm?"

"Oh my, I should think so. Shall we go see?"

Zelgadis nodded and they walked outside. The food would be fine on its own for the time being so Xellos was not worried about it. It was more important to get their little thief out of the trap before he accidentally hurt himself.

Naturally, his lover was very shocked when they followed the sound of the bell to the garden and found a small boy caught in the magical field.

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><p>TBC! Please remember to review.<p> 


	2. Rhapsody in Blue

Chapter Two: Rhapsody in Blue

Note: 'Aoi' means Blue. We debated the naming a bit at the time because most of the names in Slayers are very Western. (Hence the many alternate spellings.) But 'Aoi' was actually supposed to be a nickname, so just imagine that if you were to hear them call a child 'Blue' in canon, there's a chance they would say it in Japanese.

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><p>Zelgadis wasn't stupid. He knew Xellos was up to something. His lack of <em>real<em> surprise since mentioning the thing pillaging their garden, and the way he smiled now, made it all too obvious that Xellos had known about the child the whole time. (He wasn't too sure _how_, though, and that was one thing he wanted enlightening on.)

He wasn't even angry about knowing Xellos was hiding something. Once, when those secrets had involved toying with his and his friends' lives, he would have been angry. Now he knew he could trust Xellos with his life and his heart.

It was comforting in a way, to know that Xellos hadn't changed completely upon becoming human. He was still _Xellos_. He kept things to himself until he felt like sharing them, and he plotted when he was trying to be clever or sneaky as if Zelgadis couldn't tell. As if he didn't know the older man well enough by now.

That was what bothered him the most – not that Xellos was plotting something, but that he thought Zel didn't _know_ he was doing it. The chimera knew it was nothing that would endanger their lives so he didn't see his lover's need to hide it.

Well, he supposed, he was just going to have to confront him about it.

"My goodness. You could have just asked, Aoi-chan. We have plenty to share."

Zel glanced at Xellos, startled, before realizing where the name must have come from – the boy's hair was a pretty shade of blue.

He sighed. "Well, you might as well come in for dinner, kid." It wasn't as if they didn't have enough and the kid looked half starved. Besides, it would help him figure out exactly what his lover was plotting.

He had no plans of stopping what Xellos had in mind. He just wanted to know _what_ he was planning. It seemed Zelgadis hadn't changed much either in that sense, domestication aside.

The boy looked surprised. "But I stole from you…"

In addition to being half starved, his clothes were dirty and torn, he had no shoes, and it was almost hard to tell that his hair was blue underneath the grime.

"Only because you were hungry," Zel remarked knowingly. "I don't know anyone who wouldn't if they needed to. Lucky for you, Xellos always cooks more than we eat." Even though occasionally it was things they _couldn't_ eat. Xellos' experiments could be interesting.

"I got used to serving Lina-san's large appetite!" Xellos giggled, releasing the spell and offering the boy a hand up. He was smiling kindly. "Come."

The boy eyed the offered hand with wide blue eyes before accepting. "Alright…"

They led the boy into their home, where he proceeded to look around with curiosity and—yes, eagerness. As if he had wanted to see the inside for awhile. Zelgadis saw his eyes light on the large hand-crafted table and the decorations they had scattered around the dining area. Off to the right, the kitchen was large, filled with delicious aromas, and had onions, garlic, and various herbs hung within easy reach.

"Dinner will be awhile yet before finishing," Xellos said. "Let's wash up. We're all dirty from the garden."

Zel noted how delicately Xellos touched on the subject of the boy's appearance. The boy noticed it too and sent him a grateful glance before walking up to the sink. He got the boy a step to stand on (he was maybe five, and small for his age). 'Aoi' rolled up his dirty sleeves and began to wash the various layers of grime off with warm water, looking grateful to do so.

No child should be happy to _get clean_, Zel thought sadly. Especially a boy. Children should enjoy getting dirty.

"You allergic to anything?" Zel asked him, handing Aoi a wet cloth as the boy started on his face.

"Don't think so," said the boy. He seemed comfortable with them. Zel and Xellos kept their distance, reaching around the boy to wash their own hands, instinctively not wanting to scare Aoi. But he only seemed a little skittish.

He definitely didn't seem startled at all by Zel's appearance. At home, the chimera had no reason to hide his appearance, so his stone face and wire hair were clearly visible.

The boy noticed him staring and frowned up at him. "What? Never seen a dirty orphan before?" he asked with a small amount of heat, and perhaps shame.

Zelgadis looked away, uncomfortable from the reminder of certain things. "Used to be one myself."

He didn't remember his parents. He had a vague memory of a funeral and of living in a dark house all by himself, until an impossibly tall, purple-haired man took him away. Rezo burned down the house and they never returned there.

Then his days had been filled with light, and learning, and purpose. Even, occasionally, with fun. Rodimus and Zolf had taken care of him, because of all the mercenaries that had worked for Rezo, they had been around the longest. Dilgear and Noonsa had come later, but most of Zel's memories of them were fond too. He lived, slept, and ate meals with Rezo's guardsmen, and even as a teenager, all of them had seemed to look after him.

It was something he could never explain to Lina—how everything in his life had finally fallen completely apart when he met her. Everyone that ever meant anything to him was dead in just a few days, by his hands or hers. He couldn't even hold a grudge because they had been fighting for their lives and it was _the right thing to do. _

And Rodimus and Zolf, the ones that had been like fathers to him, had died in battle trying to save the world. It was hard to find fault in that—but he still missed them.

"Oh," the boy whispered.

He shut off the water and took a seat at the table while Xellos checked on dinner. His hair and clothes were still a mess, but the brief washing helped.

Zel set the table for three people. "So you're an orphan?" he asked awkwardly.

Aoi was looking around the dining room again, but a little more soberly now. "Yeah… You have a lot of magic things," he added, obviously not wanting to talk about the orphan subject.

His eyes settled on a cluster of small floating bobbles that moved in hypnotizing circles. They were supposed to mirror the movements of the solar system. Amelia had sent it as a house warming present, among other items. The princess seemed ecstatic about them having a home, though Zel wasn't quite sure why.

Zel smiled faintly at the colorful bobbles. "Comes with being a sorcerer." He was proud of their home and everything in it. It made Xellos happy and he had done it with his own hands. Having steady furniture that wouldn't break under his weight was a perk too. That had always been a risk when staying in inns or even the Saillune royal palace.

Xellos continued to move about the kitchen as they waited, cutting up slices of bread and toasting them over the stove.

"Most beast people I meet aren't very good with magic," the boy commented shyly.

Zel winced. "I'm not a beastperson." It was better than being called a monster, but only slightly.

An awkward silence fell, neither sure what else to say, until eventually Xellos came in with the finished stew. He served the boy first.

"Zelgadis is a chimera," he told Aoi with a soft smile.

"Oh." The boy flushed. "Sorry. Didn't mean to offend."

Zel shrugged. All things considered, he had gotten worse reactions for his looks. "Don't worry about it. Go ahead and eat as much as you want."

Needing no further encouragement, the boy dug in with zeal. It was all too likely that it had been some time since he'd had a proper meal.

Xellos sat down beside Zel and introduced them in his usual polite manner, if a little more gently than usual. It reminded Zel a lot of how Xellos had been with Zel-chan, Zelgadis' second childhood. Due to a curse in one of the fake Aqualord shrines, Zel and Lina briefly became children for a few days, and Xellos had taken care of him with a steadfast loyalty.

It was in part what finally convinced Zelgadis to trust him.

"What's your name?" Xellos asked.

The boy shrugged. "Don't got one."

"Hmm. We shall continue to call you Aoi for now then."

He was so surprised he actually stopped shoveling food into his mouth. "For now?"

Xellos smiled gently. "Until we think of something better. You do know why things are named, don't you?"

"I think he's more surprised at the idea that we're inviting him to stay," Zel told him, a little amused that Xellos was also going into teacher mode.

"Ah, yes. That is what I get for thinking a few steps ahead, I suppose."

_Ah ha._ So that was it. He was starting to comprehend Xellos' plan now.

Aoi was flushing uncertainly. "I don't know why things are named, and I don't know why you're inviting a stranger to stay in your home."

"You don't have either," Zel noted softly. "Would you like them?"

"I…" The boy was blushing hard.

"Then you won't have to steal from people's gardens, Aoi-chan," Xellos pointed out kindly.

Aoi swallowed thickly. "I—I'd like that," he said finally, shy.

Xellos looked at Zel then, a question in his eyes that the shaman understood immediately. _Can he stay? _It didn't matter if it was only for a few days, or what he thought Xellos was hoping for, there was no way that Zel could simply let the child leave. Not after seeing so much of himself in Aoi.

He knew Rodimus and Zolf would expect better of him than that.

Zel nodded silently at Xellos, who smiled.

"Then welcome home," the former priest said to the boy.

It took several minutes before the boy said anything else as he struggled to keep from crying. When he eventually did, he asked shyly, "Why are things named?" as he resumed eating.

"Things are named," Xellos explained with a raised finger, in teacher mode once again, "so that they are bound to this world. Without a name, they are not bound by anything. They float away."

Zel smiled. That was a paraphrase on how teachers taught beginner magicians about spells and how they worked. He had never heard it applied to people before, but he thought it made sense, albeit in a strange way. "I figure you're old enough to pick a name on your own, so let us know when you decide on one. Until then, we can just go with Aoi."

Xellos pouted. "We cannot name Aoi-chan?"

Zel shook his head firmly. Sometimes, he could resist the pout. _Sometimes_. "He should be allowed to choose his own."

"I suppose." The pout lessened.

Zel smiled wider, amused, and changed the subject. "Next time Lina visits, I guess Gourry'll have to settle for the couch, since Aoi will need a room of his own."

"She certainly would not take the couch herself," Xellos giggled. "But I suppose it would be unfair to Amelia-san to ask her to."

Lina and Amelia had been together almost as long as Xellos and Zel, within a few days at least. Zelgadis often wondered if they had anything to do with that, or if it was a coincidence; but the girls weren't talking and he had enough tact not to ask. The girls were private people, as much as Zel and Xellos were. (While Xellos had to sometimes struggle to not perpetrate any public displays of affection, he still wasn't likely to go around talking about their sex lives.)

"I get my own room?" Aoi gasped.

Zel shrugged. "We have two extra bedrooms." There was no reason not to.

Then Xellos petted the boy's head, saying it was alright, and Aoi flinched a little at the touch. As if he expected to be hurt.

Zel tried to hold in a frown. "Anyway, you can't exactly sleep with us, and we're certainly not going to make you sleep outside or on the couch. After dinner you can decide which room you want."

"Okay," Aoi murmured quietly, then lifted his bowl. "Can I get more?"

"Certainly!" Xellos said, and quickly got Aoi a refill. If he noticed the flinch, which Zel didn't doubt he had, he chose not to comment on it.

The boy would need some clean clothes; the ones he was wearing now seemed hardly salvageable at all, even after a few washings. It looked like another visit to the tailors was in order.

"Those clothes Zel-chan wore last year might fit Aoi-chan in the meantime," Xellos said thoughtfully.

Zel gaped. "You saved them?" _What the hell?_ He'd had no idea Xellos held onto the clothes from his second childhood.

Xellos grinned sheepishly. "Fond memory, Zelgadis. You made such an adorable child."

The chimera studied his eccentric lover, more pieces fitting into place, enough that he decided to wait no longer and confront Xellos now about _the plot_. "You never said anything about children before."

The other man blushed guiltily, lashes fluttering. "I did not really consider it… until recently, that is."

Zel softened and reached for Xellos' hand, kissing the soft skin of his knuckles. "You didn't have to hide it from me." Nor had he needed to hide Aoi, he added silently, giving his lover a meaningful look.

Xellos blushed further and laughed nervously. They both seemed to notice Aoi watching them at the same time and pulled away mutually, Zel blushing a little himself. He wasn't used to having an audience, apart from their friends, and while they were frequent visitors, they didn't stay long.

"You'll also need a toothbrush and some other things," he said around his embarrassment. "We'll go to a tailor and the market tomorrow."

"I'll pay you back," Aoi told them immediately, finishing his second bowl of stew.

Zelgadis shook his head. "No need. Kids should have someone to take care of them."

Aoi looked like he could hardly believe this was really happening. Zel took pity on him and changed the subject back to shopping. The tailor in Sarta, where they had purchased all their new clothes—and the village where Zelgadis had briefly been a child, coincidentally—would do for Aoi's. Then they could get the rest of what they needed at the market.

They ushered Aoi into the main bath, giving him one of their spare shirts to wear, and the boy insisted on bathing himself even though Xellos was obviously reluctant to let him. It made Zelgadis remember, very clearly, how Xellos had done everything with him during his brief second childhood.

"He hasn't had an easy life," Zel murmured softly, while they waited outside the bathroom door. It was the larger of the two bathrooms he had built; the second, smaller one was connected to the master bedroom.

Xellos nodded but he continued to eye the door in concern. "He is also hiding something. But I still want to help him regardless. He reminds me so much of you at that age."

Looking away, Zelgadis nodded. It was really hard for him not to see the similarities.

"He has the same eyes as you," Xellos went on, drawing closer and touching Zel's cheek, making him meet his eyes again. Now-human purple eyes were filled with concern and fondness.

"You were right, before. I have thought about children. I was merely waiting for the right time, and we have only been living together a year. I wasn't sure it was proper, or if you even wanted to be a father. Then I saw Aoi digging in our garden early one morning…"

The chimera drew closer, resting his forehead lightly on the taller man's shoulder. "We'll take care of him," he said, voice thick with emotion he couldn't express. He really wasn't sure what kind of father he would be, or Xellos for that matter, but there was no way he could just turn Aoi out now.

He still wasn't sure what had come over Xellos, though. Children seemed very out of character. Maybe it was some leftover from Zel's second childhood. Maybe Xellos missed having someone small to dote on, like Zel-chan, but he couldn't be sure. He would try to ask him about this too, at some point, if he thought Xellos was comfortable with answering. Maybe there was more to it than he could see.

Xellos hesitated before he spoke again, fingers lightly brushing against the back of Zel's neck. "Zelgadis? If we find out that he is hiding something painful, promise not to be angry with him."

"He's a kid," Zel pointed out softly. "Whatever he's hiding likely isn't his fault."

"I agree."

Zelgadis smiled and kissed his pale, warm neck, enjoying the closeness and light cuddling. Some sensations were still hard to feel, but he loved this regardless of that. He could feel just enough to make up for what was lacking, and it was still leagues better than feeling nothing at all. He had no regrets about the life he had chosen.

He felt Xellos stiffen at the sound of Aoi climbing into the bath and sighed.

"Let him have privacy, Xellos. If he needs anything, he'll ask. He's not a baby."

He could hear Xellos' pout. "I know that. I still want to take care of him."

"As much as he lets you," he chided gently, petting Xellos' hair some more. He really loved the longer hair. It was one of the few delicate things he could feel most of the texture of, and the slightly euphoric expression his lover got whenever he touched his hair helped considerably.

He felt Xellos shiver a little in his arms and smiled. "You have to give him time to trust us. Don't push him."

"Alright," Xellos sighed quietly, sounding content and relaxed.

Zel tightened his hold and was about to pull Xellos into a kiss when the door opened and Aoi's slightly damp head emerged. He was wearing one of Zelgadis' pajama shirts—light blue and much too big for him, but it would work for the child to sleep in. He was also much cleaner, which was nice to see.

It wasn't quite dark yet, but Aoi looked tired, so they let him pick one of the spare bedrooms for his own and put him to bed. Zel pulled the blankets down for him, and showed him the toilet off the side of the room. "In case you need to use the bathroom during the night."

"'kay," Aoi murmured, tugging the sheet and quilt up to his chin.

"We'll be right across the hall if there's a problem, okay?" Aoi had picked the bedroom right across from theirs, as if he wanted to be near them.

Maybe he wasn't scared of them, but he was certainly scared of _something_.

The blue haired boy smiled shyly. "Thanks."

"Door open or closed?"

"Closed, please."

"Okay. Let us know if you need anything."

Zel closed the door as he left, and went to the kitchen to wash the dishes while Xellos cleaned the hall bathroom. His lover joined him before he finished, hopping up onto the counter to watch.

When he finished, Zel moved to stand in front of him, grabbing hold of Xellos' hips.

Xellos wrapped his arms around Zelgadis, smiling. "This might change things slightly, of course."

Zel couldn't help but smirk. "No more sleeping in the nude."

Xellos giggled. "No more sex all over the house."

The chimera felt his face grow warm. "That too."

"But since Aoi-chan seems so independent, I don't suppose we'll have to worry about him wanting to sleep with us."

Zel sighed sadly, thoughts back on their houseguest again. "Maybe. We should be careful until we're sure, though."

Xellos began to do that trick of his with his tongue on his neck. "Oh?"

Zel gasped and leaned into the warm, wet touch. "Careful doesn't mean stop."

"Shall we also call it an early night then?" Xellos asked cheekily.

"Oh, yes."

* * *

><p>A little while later, while they were relaxing in each other's arms, naked, still a little sticky and sweaty, they heard a noise in the hallway.<p>

Zel and Xellos separated quickly, hurriedly putting their nightclothes on. Zel reached the bedroom door first, which he unlocked and opened.

Aoi jumped in surprise. He was in the act of returning to his room, a glass of milk in his hand, which he looked a little guilty about. He was not sneaking out, nor did he appear to be stealing anything.

"You okay?"

Aoi flushed, looking a little less scared and more sheepish. "Yeah. Had a bad dream."

Zelgadis glanced back at Xellos, not really sure how to handle this. Bad dreams he was familiar with, but not so much how to deal with a child's.

Xellos crept closer and bent down so that he and Aoi were on eye level. He smiled gently. "And you got some milk, that's good. We can warm it for you."

The boy nodded and offered the cup shyly. Zel cast a small spell to warm it up before giving it back. Aoi smiled shyly and sipped.

"Would you like to sleep with us tonight?" Xellos asked, in that same gentle, kind tone. It was not patronizing, like many adults used with children. It was just a kind, honest voice, and it made Zel fall a little more in love with him, which he had no idea was possible.

Zel glanced at the bed, which was still in disarray from their private time. But it was easy to fix. "If you're frightened, we don't mind," he added.

Aoi inched into the room slowly, clutching his milk and sipping little by little. "If it's okay…"

Zel watched his lover smile. "It is perfectly alright. Zelgadis and I were just about to go to sleep ourselves."

"We just need to fix the bed," the chimera said.

"'Kay," Aoi murmured and he climbed into a cushioned armchair that Xellos sometimes sat in to read. He did so slowly, being very careful not to spill his milk.

Zelgadis efficiently stripped the bed and Xellos brought clean sheets in, helping him get the fresh ones on and throw the soiled ones in the hamper. Sex was great—fantastic even—but it did have a tendency to get them and the bed dirty. He knew they still smelled a little like sex, even after washing up quickly in the bathroom, but hopefully Aoi would not be able to tell.

Xellos offered to tell a bedtime story, but Aoi shook his head shyly.

"Sorry. Maybe later?"

The former Mazoku merely smiled. "Very well."

Zel pulled back the blankets. "Climb in."

Smiling shyly, Aoi finished his milk and climbed into the center of the bed, leaving the men to situate themselves on either side of him. Zel pulled the blankets up over the three of them, nervously trying to not touch Aoi too much, but the boy was relaxed. He curled up into a ball and fell asleep pretty quickly, either because of the milk or just general tiredness.

It was a strange sign of trust. Zelgadis wasn't sure what to make of it.

He glanced over the small boy's body to Xellos, who rested on his side facing them, hair pushed back from his face.

It was the first time in a year that they would not be sleeping tangled in one another's arms. Zel wasn't sure what to feel about that, either, not when the reason was Aoi.

Xellos smiled, a tired, playful expression, and Zelgadis felt himself relax.

Things may change because of this, but their relationship wouldn't. He knew Xellos would still love him regardless.

That comforting thought lulled Zelgadis to sleep.

* * *

><p>TBC. Thanks for reading!<p> 


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